Providing electrical power to a building, specifically a non-residential building such as a box store, involves installation of numerous long runs of electrical conduit which must be electrically connected to numerous and various electrical components such as receptacles, switches, lights and numerous other electrical devices and equipment. Such complex electrical system necessarily involves a complex and extremely time consuming installation. In an effort to simplify the installation of such complex system and at the same time improve the selectability and flexibility of the system, the Assignee hereof developed the modular electrical distribution system disclosed in the aforementioned co-pending application Ser. Nos. 12/798,746 and 12/798,747, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference, and which is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,648,379, 7,697,268, 7,826,202 and 7,841,878, all owned by the Assignee hereof. In this aforementioned electrical distribution system, numerous components or modules are provided so as to simplify installation of the electrical system within a building, particularly a non residential building such as a box store, while at the same time providing optimum flexibility and selectability with respect to the design of the electrical system and a greater ease of installation thereof into the building. While the modular electrical distribution system mentioned above provides significant advantages relative to a conventional system (often referred to as a hard-wired system), particularly with respect to installation and subsequent modification, nevertheless this modular electrical distribution system has not satisfactorily addressed connection of the modular system to light fixtures within the building, specifically a network of ceiling light fixtures such as fluorescent fixtures as conventionally used in non-residential buildings.
More specifically, non-residential buildings conventionally use ceiling light fixtures, and frequently mount them suspended downwardly from the ceiling, such as by the grid work associated with a dropped ceiling arrangement. The light fixtures, such as conventional fluorescent tube light fixtures, typically have a wiring pigtail, conventionally three solid electrical conductors, for connection to an electrical supply conduit which is typically fed from above through a knockout port provided in a top wall of the fixture, with solid wire conductors associated with a supply pigtail being electrically joined to the conductors which define the pigtail of the fixture. The conductors defining the fixture pigtail are typically joined through an intermediate connector, to the pigtail conductors on the supply conduit. To facilitate installation and electrical connection, which is normally preferably carried out from above the light fixture, the top wall of the light fixture housing is typically provided with a removable cover plate sized to permit an installer to have access therethrough. This cover plate is also typically provided with a knockout port associated therewith to facilitate feeding of the electrical supply conduit therethrough to assist with respect to the overall installation and electrical connection. In some situations, however, the supply conduit may be fed through a knockout port disposed at some other location on the light fixture housing. These knockout ports are generally of conventional size, typically ⅞th inch diameter. In this conventional arrangement, a separate intermediate connector is required for joining the pigtail conductors of the light fixture to the pigtail conductors of the supply conduit which is associated with the modular power system disposed above the light fixture.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved adapter structure which cooperates between the modular electrical distribution system and the light fixture to facilitate initial installation and electrical connection of the modular distribution system to the light fixture by facilitating access to the light fixture from both above or below, and also facilitating access to the fixture for performing maintenance thereon, such as when replacement of a ballast is required.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a light fixture adapter module which includes an insulative housing containing therein a family of electrical conductors, typically five such conductors capable of defining a three-circuit arrangement. The housing and the conductors at one end of the module, typically an upper end, define a plug-like connector which is compatible and engageable with a plug-like connector provided on one end of a flexible conduit unit associated with the modular power distribution assembly to facilitate electrical connection to the light fixture adapter module. The adapter module housing can be mounted to the housing of the light fixture, preferably from above, by pressing the adapter housing downwardly through a knockout port to effect a snap fit engagement with the light fixture. The other end of the adapter module, which accesses the interior of the light fixture housing, defines a plurality of ports which function as a plug-in socket to permit the individual pigtail conductors of the light fixture to be slidably inserted therein for mechanical and electrical engagement with the conductors of the adapter. The pigtail conductors can be engaged with the adapter prior to the adapter being fitted to the housing.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to persons familiar with the environment of this invention upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.
Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience and reference only, and will not be limiting. For example, the words “upwardly”, “downwardly”, “rightwardly” and “leftwardly” will refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “upwardly” and “downwardly” will also be used in reference to the normal orientations experienced with respect to the lighting fixture, and the adapter mounted thereon, during normal use conditions. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the arrangement and designated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.